Movable railway platform or approach.



MOVABLE RAILWAY PLATFORM 0R APPROACH! APPLICATION HLED AP fao, 191'].

1,235,377; Patented July 31,1917.

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STEPHEN POKOPAC, OF GBEENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOVABLE RAILWAY PLATF'OBDE OR APPROACH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed April 30, 1917.. Serial No. 165,416.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN POKOPAC, a subject of the King of Hungary, residing at Greensburg, in the county of Nestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Railway Platforms or Appreaches of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in movable railway platform approaches.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a loading platform for use in connection with railway cars the same being readily movable adjacent the cars and serviceable as a baggage or passenger station.

A further object of the device is the provision of a movable platform or station arranged adjacent a railroad track whereby the station may be readily connected with the cars upon the track for facilitating the transfer of passengers and goods between the station and cars.

A still further object of the device is the provision of a station platform provided with motive power for moving the same in operative position with respect to railway cars, approach members being readily arranged, connecting the platform and cars, assisting in the loading and unloading ope'ration.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several viewsz- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railway car adapted to be employed in connection with the present device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of a train and illustrating the device operatively arranged with respect thereto.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the car and track shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is an end elevation of the device and one of the cars shown in Fig. 2, with the approaches and connectors retracted.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. a with the connectors and approaches operatively arranged.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the device.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken upon line VIIIVIII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken upon line IXIX of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken upon line XX of Fig. 6.

F ig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of a central. portion of the movable connecting means.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the car carried keeper blocks, and.

18 is a perspective view of an end portion of one of the adjustable approaches.

The present invention broadly contemplates the provision of a movable station or covered platform 10 mounted upon a track 11 paralleling the track 12 of the railway line upon which the cars 13 are operated, it being understood that both freight and passenger cars are employed while the present showing is that of passenger cars.

The platform or station 10 has the general. form of a railway car having one side 14, a roof 15 and opposite ends 16, the side of the car which is positioned adjacent the line of railway tracks 12 being preferably open as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Suitable windows 18 are provided in the ends 16 as well as in the side 1% of the platform 10 while doors 19 are arranged adjacent the ends thereof and a relatively large or freight receiving door 20 is centrally positioned in the said side. Suitable steps 21 are provided for the doors 19 for permitting the ready entrance of passengers to the platform 10 whereby the same is employed as and is substantially of the form of the usual track side shelters or stations especially serviceable in outlying districts. The platform 10 may be provided with motive power from suitable batteries operable by means of a controller 28. An approach or plank 24 is provided at different desirable points upon the platform 10, such as adjacent the opposite ends thereof, the approaches 2 L being herein illustrated as adapted to be projected upon the end platforms 25 of the cars 13. The approaches 24. are positioned beneath the floor 26 of the platform 10 and are arranged with teeth 27 forming a rack with which a pinion 28 is in constant mesh, the said pinion being provided upon a shaft 29 journaled beneath the floor 26. Any suitable operating means may be provided for the shaft 29 such as asprocket wheel 30 carried thereby, having a chain 31 passing thereover for engagement with a double sprocket 32 operable from a hand wheel 33 by means of a chain 3%; connecting the said double sprocket and hand wheel. By this arrangement it will be seen that when the car 13 reaches the proper position adjacent the platform 10, the hand wheels 33 may be turned for projecting the approaches 2st upon the platforms 25 of the car, whereby passengers as well as goods may be readily transferred from one to the other.

A means is provided for readily connecting the platform 10 with the car 13, where by the platform may be readily moved upon the track 11 by means of the railway car, such connections broadly consisting of keeper blocks 35 secured at spaced intervals beneath the body of the car and adapted for cooperation with a shiftable connector 36 arranged upon the platform. 10. The connector 36 consists of parallel transverse members 3? and a connecting piece 38, the entire connector .36 being slidably arranged beneath the floor 26 of the platform 10. A central transverse member 37 has its inner. end provided with a slot 39 adaptedfor the reception of the lower end of an operating lever e0 pivoted to posts d1 upon the platform floor 26 and having a handle 42.. By grasping the handle as, the lever .40 may be pivotally moved through the slot 43 in the floor 26, thereby shifting the member 36 inwardly or outwardly as desired. When the coupling member 36 is projected, the outer portions of the transverse members 37 project laterally of the platform 10 sufliciently to be placed within the line of movements of the keeper blocks 35. The transverse members 37 being received within the adjacent side channels ts of the blocks 35, it will be understood that a movement of "the car. 13 will simultaneously move the platform 10 in a corresponding direction and whereby the said platform may be shifted upon its track 11 to any desirable point, the platform 10 being at all times maintained suitably spaced from the line tracks 12 so as to be accessible from the cars 13 mounted thereon. It will be seen that a serviceable platform in the nature of a shelter is arranged for advantageous use by railroads, the device side, the opposite side of the platform being open, a car connector carried by said platform laterally projecting therefrom when projected in its operative position, shifiing means for said connector arranged within the device, approaching planks transversely shiftably carried by the said platform adapted for arrangement outwardly of the open side of the latter when operatively positioned, and operating means for the said planl's.

3. A device of the class described comprising in combination with parallel main.

and side tracks having cars adapted for.

movement upon one line oftracks, a platform adapted for movementupon'the other track, ends,'a top and'one side provided for the said platform with the side thereof open adjacent the main track, av car con necting means shiftably carried by the said platform, and operating means for the said connecting means.

f. A device of the class described comprising in combination with parallel main and side tracks having cars adapted for movement upon one line of tracks, a plat form adapted for movement upon the other track, ends, a top and one side provided for the said platform with the side thereof open adjacent the main track, a car connecting means shiftably carried by the said plat form, operating means for the said connecting means, cars upon said main track, and keeper blocks carried by the said cars hav ing a path of movementwithin the plane of said connector when projected.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

STEPHEN POKOPAO.

topics of this atent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). C. 

